The Clarkes
by LornaCat
Summary: A few short chapters about Jackie and Kevin Clarke. A little romance, a little smut, a little drama. Now with super fluffy vacation times!
1. Homecoming Traditions

**Summary: **A few short chapters about the Clarkes, inspired by episodes 6x04 - 6x08. Haven't seen 6x09 yet, I hope future episodes don't contradict these little stories too much :D Special thanks to **JustLikeGill**, my partner in crime (more like obsession) with these two characters. And to the Kelli fans who said I should share these with the world! ;D

**Pairing: **Jackie & Kevin Clarke

**Rated M** for Married adult content. :) (The first two chapters contain some smut, chapter 3 is more comfort/drama.)

* * *

**1. Homecoming Traditions**

* * *

"Feels good to be home." Frank Sherwood sighed. The plane bringing them back to base was descending, the men could feel the pressure on their ears even as the weight on their hearts was lifted. They all knew they were lucky to be returning so soon.

"Is it just me or is the relief sweeter every time you come back?" Kevin Clarke asked. Frank turned to the general, surprised to hear such a light-hearted statement coming from his superior.

"I'd agree with that. I bet it's sweeter for our wives."

"Well, when you've got certain homecoming traditions, and no kids at home to worry about...it can be sweet for both husband _and_ wife."

"Traditions, huh? And what traditions would those be, sir?"

"I think it's best you use your imagination here, Colonel."

"Understood, sir." Frank replied with a smirk.

"If I tell you, you tell Denise, Denise tells Jackie..."

"You'd like to keep your own home safer than the place we just left."

"You _do_ understand." said Kevin. Both men chuckled. "Let's just hope she remembers the tradition as well as I do."

"She didn't get to see you off this time." Frank reminded him. "I'm sure she'll remember."

* * *

Jackie was there when Kevin arrived at the rally point. He indulged himself, ignoring everyone and everything else as he walked up to her. She looked worried even in her relief.

"Next time, I come back from D.C. before you leave." she said as he put his arms around her waist. She stared up at him, resting her hands on his chest, waiting until he'd acknowledged her decision as final. There was no arguing when she got that serious look in her eyes. He could also see the light in her eyes, the love and the relief that he was home safe. She broke the tension by wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tight. "I'm glad you're home."

"Me too." Kevin said. "If only you knew."

Jackie hugged him tighter. "Are you completely exhausted?" she asked.

"That depends." he replied, straightening as Jackie released him and stood back on her own.

"We should get you home." she said, a small mischievous smile forming on her lips.

"Should we?" Kevin asked. He smirked, and the mischief in her expression became more obvious. "I like that look..."

"You do, don't you?" Jackie said. She took her husband's hand in her own, turned and led him in the right direction. She looked back at him over her shoulder. Her smirk told him everything he needed to know.

* * *

They made a beeline for the bedroom when they arrived home. Kevin took off his uniform like it was a timed drill, but he found himself waiting for Jackie when he was done. She was in the bathroom, getting herself ready. He wanted to be inside her already but the well-trained part of him told him to be patient. She'd make it worth the wait.

When she finally emerged, she saw him sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting patiently. His eyes were cast down, and he looked up at the sound of the bathroom door opening. His expression transformed as he took in the sight of his wife in her loosely tied robe. He just knew there was something sexy underneath it and she could feel his lusty thoughts from across the room. She paused to check him out; in just his boxers, she could see his entire toned body and she had lusty thoughts of her own.

"Don't tease me, honey. I've been away too long." Kevin smiled.

Jackie smiled back, her excitement growing. "It's only been two weeks." she teased him, as if it mattered how long a deployment was. She hated being apart from him for the weekend, just going to DC by herself, and her last trip had turned into a much longer separation. She crossed the room, and his hands were already untying the belt on her robe before she could touch his shoulders. He groaned as he pulled the robe open, his eyes feasting on the thin negligee that barely covered her full figure.  
"Jackie..." he added her name to the groan. She felt his eyes as much as his hands as they caressed her sides. He pulled her and leaned forward at the same time, kissing her cleavage nice and slow and making her think for a confusing moment that he was actually going to take things easy. "You've been running a lot, haven't you?" he asked in an innocently curious tone. He stood abruptly, and he began to take her robe off with no protest from her whatsoever.

"I have." she said proudly. The robe fell in a soft heap on the floor and they resumed their hug from the rally point, except this time they were almost naked and there was no reason to be polite for society or hide how much they loved each other. Kevin took Jackie in his arms and kissed her deeply, letting his hands wander over her body. Jackie closed her eyes, a sigh escaping her lips as his mouth wandered down her neck.

"I've lost a few pounds, just in the last two weeks alone." She told him in the hopes of impressing him.

"You look amazing." he told her. "Just don't lose those curves."

Kevin squeezed her butt, and it made Jackie grin and giggle.

"I like you just the way you are." Kevin murmured through a smile, and he went back to kissing her sweet lips as he guided her on to the bed.

"Mm," Jackie murmured against his mouth. "I love you." she said sweetly when he gave her the chance.

"I love you too." Kevin replied, his voice getting deeper every second he was around her in that lingerie. He rubbed his nose against hers, taking just a moment to admire the freckles on her nose and cheeks. "Now if you don't mind I'm going to lay you down on this bed and make love to you."

"Take me." Jackie dared him with a cute grin. It always made him smile, especially when it was genuine and she just couldn't hide how happy she was. Between that smile and the outfit she was wearing he was more than ready to follow her command.

The next kiss he gave her was passionate, almost rough, but Jackie was a strong, resilient woman. She wrapped her arms around his neck kissed back, giving every ounce of passion right back to him. He grabbed her by the waist, spinning her around and pushing her gently but firmly onto the bed. Jackie grinned at the strength he was showing, moving herself up toward the pillows.

"Come on, General." she addressed him with mock formality. "Show me your best maneuvers."

She nestled back against the pillows and watched as he crawled toward her.

"I'm going to need full access for this one." he said, a seriously playful sparkle in his eye. "I'm planning a full frontal assault." he murmured, closing in on his first target with another deep, passionate kiss. Her throaty chuckle turned into a moan when his lips connected with hers. She felt his hand on her hip, squeezing her, caressing her, moving the thin, silky fabric of her nightie against her skin. There was nothing militaristic about his love making, save for their cheesy innuendo. His enjoyment of her body was thorough and he liked to feel every inch of it.

"This is beautiful." he remarked of her lingerie, because he never let any of the details slip.

"I got it just for tonight." she said in her sexy voice. "Just for you."

She sighed as his hand moved up over the fabric to squeeze her breast. He especially liked the way they looked underneath the garment. He was staring intensely at them, right before he bowed his head to begin devouring. She hugged his head to her chest, getting swept away by his taking of her. There was a feminine groan hidden in her next sigh, as his hands squeezed her and his mouth left wet spots on her negligee. The bottom rode up her legs as they both moved, and his hands found her thigh, outer and then inner.

The feeling of his touch faded like a swift trail of smoke along her body, and the feeling of being pressed into the mattress was a constant. His thumb pressed firmly against her inner thigh, rubbing in circles closer and closer to the core of her. Jackie moaned, softly at first, and then insistently, though she didn't need to beg. His kisses moved south, and he pushed her negligee up so he could kiss the soft skin on her stomach. Kevin then took hold of her underwear, and he pulled them with purpose down her perfect legs. Once he discarded them, he dove in between her legs and devoured with the same passion he'd taken her breasts. He ususally joked about doing some recon before sending the troops in, but this was more like a first wave. The frontal assault had begun.

Jackie let her defenses crumble and she writhed with pleasure, feeling his short crew cut hair as she caressed the back of his head. When he lifted his head, coming up for air, Jackie pulled her negligee up over her head, baring the rest of her body to him. Kevin left a trail of rough kisses up Jackie's body, tasting all his favorite spots again until his body was covering hers.

"You ready for the big guns?" He murmured in her ear, his gravelly voice affected her as much as his touches and kisses did. Together they freed him from his single article of clothing, and Jackie spread her legs wider to let him inside. Her breath caught in her throat as he entered her, and he let out a deep, satisfied groan as his hips thrust gently toward hers. "God, you feel good..." Kevin told her. The way Jackie pressed her head back into the pillow and nodded was her way of telling him it felt good for her, too good for words. She moaned loudly as he filled her up again, the thrust of his hips growing stronger and deeper. Her hands moved from the middle of his back up toward his shoulders, holding him gently so she could keep her body relaxed and enjoy each sensation. The softest parts of her jiggled as he moved, like he was a boat making waves in a sea as he rocked into her. The sight, and the sound of her crying out at every thrust, made him move faster and faster. Her cries rose in pitch until she was whining continuously, her head rolling from side to side, back arching against her will.

Kevin was getting close, and he was relieved Jackie was even closer. After a few more thrusts Jackie was shuddering. She came, and Kevin kept thrusting. Her hands still caressed him softly, exploring every tense muscle within reach. He was consumed by the feeling of her all around him. The motion of his hips became more forceful, and they cried out together, over and over, until he was finished. Even after he was done, their voices stayed in sync. As he slowed, their shouts turned to short moans, and when he stopped, the moans slowly turned into ragged sighs.

Holding the sides of her head in his hands, Kevin gave Jackie a long, deep kiss. She moaned sweetly, and he nuzzled her cheek. Then he flopped down on his back beside her so he could catch his breath. He sighed loudly, signaling his complete satisfaction. He even chuckled a little. It was fun to let go like that, especially after a mission, and especially with his sexy wife.

Jackie whined a little, curling up beside him like she wasn't ready to be without his body so soon. He chuckled again, gladly wrapping his arm around her shoulders as she cuddled his side.

"I'm right here." he reassured her.

"You don't know how much I miss you when you're gone." she said. She rubbed her face against the skin on his chest, kissing him softly here and there.

"Well if that was any indication..." he said, smiling down at her.

"I can't sleep without you in the bed with me. It just feels wrong."

"Jackie." Kevin said, gently but firmly. She tilted her head up and looked into his confident eyes. "You'll sleep well tonight, won't you?"

"Yes, I will." she said, smiling the smile that made him fall in love with her. He squeezed her shoulders, pulling her into another kiss. He looked at her afterward, once again satisfied.

"Good." he said, gazing at her until she laid her head on his chest again.

"It _was _good, wasn't it?" Jackie smiled dreamily.

"Sure sounded like it."

"It's the only good thing about you ever being away." she said.

"Agreed." Kevin replied.


	2. Relax

**2. Relax**

* * *

"Binders, binders, binders..." Kevin commented in his majestic, general-like way as he entered Jackie's office and found her working on her latest guidebook masterpiece. She smiled, keeping her eyes on her work as he approached. She wouldn't stop until she finished making notes on her current draft. "I should buy you a copier." Kevin said as he surveyed all the pages. It looked like a chaos of paperwork to him, but Jackie had it all perfectly sorted. "We'd save a bundle and you wouldn't have to run back and forth to the printers all hours of the day."

"I would go crazy if I didn't leave the house every once in a while. You know that." Jackie chided him lightly. She paused for a moment, and turned to look and smile over her shoulder at him so he would know she was just joking.

"Hmm..." Kevin murmured thoughtfully, coming right up behind her and placing his big strong hands on her shoulders. "It looks very informative, Mrs. Clarke."

He started to massage her without really thinking about it. Immediately Jackie closed her eyes and relaxed, letting his fingers work their magic. He saw her writing hand lose its grip and go limp, and it made him smile. He pressed his thumbs firmly into the tissue between her shoulder blades and her spine, looking for the knots. Jackie moaned and let her head tilt forward, and Kevin moved his thumbs in circles, getting deep into her muscles.

"A little higher..." Jackie said quietly, and Kevin complied. "Ohhhh, right there..." she moaned when he found just the right spot. Kevin's smile widened, and he pressed harder. "Ah-" Jackie cried out, almost in pain because he was attacking the knots like it was a mission.

"You're tense, sweetheart." said Kevin. "You should take a break."

"A general's wife doesn't get breaks." Jackie replied, some of her words coming out as strained sighs.

"Yes they do," Kevin told her, elongating the first and third words for emphasis. "Even if the general has to order her to take one."

"Since when do I take your orders?" Jackie purred, smirking as her head lolled back and forth with the motion of his hands.

"A man can dream, can't he?" Kevin joked, and that made Jackie chuckle. "You should take a day, go to a spa with Denise. Get pampered."

"Mm, no." Jackie whined. "It's better when you do it."

Kevin chuckled appreciatively. "But I don't always have these quiet moments to give you. Have you noticed how much of the time we have together is spent schmoozing with politicians?"

"Mm," Jackie agreed. "And when we're not attending the parties, I'm planning them."

"Or putting together your epic binders." Kevin added. He leaned down to kiss the top of her head, never stopping the massage.

"This is what keeps it all running smoothly." Jackie reminded him.

"They'd be lost without you." said Kevin. "And so would I. That's why I don't want you to burn out."

"I won't." Jackie assured him. She didn't like the warning tone of his voice, and he knew better than to bring it up. To make it up to her, he intensified the massage, getting deeper with his thumbs and causing the pleasure of healing pain to blossom in those muscles. "Unnnnnhhhhhh," Jackie moaned loudly. "Shit..." she muttered inside a breath.

Kevin's eyebrows rose. "You sound more relaxed already." he joked.

Jackie grinned. He was the lucky man that got to hear her say those special words.

"It feels amazing. Don't stop."

She felt him lean down close, so he could speak softly in her ear.

"If I keep going, the neighbors might think we're doing something else."

"Mmnn..." Jackie chuckled and kept grinning. "They might if they could hear us. The house is so big even without the yard."

"Do you like it?"

"The house?"

"Affirmative."

"I love it."

"Seems like even more for you to take on, with the fixes and renovations." Kevin commented, hinting at his worry over her work load.

"It's all part of the master plan." Jackie said clearly and confidently, with control over her voice. She found he was more easily convinced when she spoke that way.

"The master plan..." Kevin echoed. He knew what she meant. It seemed sometimes that everything she did was in service of his career. He wondered if she was finding fulfillment of her own.

Jackie turned slightly in her seat, sensing his doubts. Kevin paused the massage and looked down at her. He had no doubt in her capabilities. He just needed to know that she was happy. The look she gave him was calm and reassuring, accentuated by Jackie placing one of her hands on his.

"We're going to get you that third star." she said, even more confident than before. The glint of ambition shone in her eyes and it was reflected in Kevin's eyes.

"You don't think we're jumping heads here?" he asked.

The playful kitten, the one that whined for attention and cuddled up to him in bed, disappeared for a moment. Jackie's lips pursed just so, pouting as she thought of the words that Kevin wanted to hear. He didn't think they were jumping heads, and he didn't care. He just wanted to hear her explain it in her own words. He loved how she put it.

"If the Holdens really wanted to be in this house, they'd already be here." she said. "Claudia Joy would be putting these binders together instead of me, and they'd be schmoozing the senators and community leaders in our place. They don't have what it takes, Kevin. We're doing the Army a favor by pushing our way up, and pushing hard. They need you, and they need me."

Kevin smirked, satisfied, and he placed his hands on the back of her chair, bending over so he could get closer to eye level.

"Do you know how sexy you are when you're confident?" he asked, looking right into her eyes.

"It's why you married me." Jackie, her sweet smile returning with a little tilt of her head. She saw Kevin's silent chuckle and she held his loving gaze.

"Stand up." he said.

"Is that a direct order?" Jackie asked with one eyebrow raised, a very amused smile overtaking all her features. She tried to stifle it, but he had that look in his eyes. "You could at least say please." she said primly.

"Please." he said in a very controlled tone, his smirk threatening to turn into a smile at any moment. Jackie aquiesced, and Kevin stood up. As soon as she was out of her seat he pulled the chair far away from her desk and moved toward her. He caught her delighted smile just before he took her mouth with kisses. In no time at all they had their arms wrapped around each other, but Jackie protested when Kevin lifted her up to sit on the edge of her desk.

"Kevin, no!" Jackie pleaded, her adorable tone doing nothing to dissuade him. He plopped her down, and she looked worriedly at the stack of binders to her right.

"It'll be worth it." he said confidently. His one hand held the side of her head tenderly, and the other hand stroked her opposite thigh from knee to hip and back again. They could already imagine what it would feel like with her skirt gone, but there was no way Jackie would risk losing any of the work she'd done that afternoon.

"Mm-" Jackie couldn't speak when he pressed his lips to hers. "Mmmnn..." she moaned when he opened her lips with his tongue and kissed her mouth as deeply as he'd massaged her shoulders. Her hips moved toward Kevin, as if she had no control over them. She tried to brace herself against her desk, but her hand found a pile of papers instead of the hard wood surface. The stack began to slide, and Jackie remembered where they were.  
"Mm, no!" She pushed at Kevin's chest, and he laughed. "Not here!" Jackie insisted, her eyes widened as she smiled at his seeming amusement.

"You won't let me sweep it all onto the floor and take you right here on the desk?" He asked, knowing the very idea would horrify her.

"Kevin!" Jackie exclaimed.

He laughed, but he stayed close. "I'm taking you one way or the other." he said in a low tone that almost made her forget again. "Just tell me where."

He kissed her lips again, expressing his desire and intoxicating her with it at the same time.

"Oh." she said softly, when he released her mouth and kissed her neck. "Um..." she struggled to think. Bedroom was too far. "The dining room." she said in a rush. "I was going to clean it later anyway."

Kevin lifted his head. "Expecting company?"

"No, not today."

"Good."

His intoxicating closeness retreated, leaving Jackie needing more. Taking her by the hand like a gentleman, Kevin helped her off the desk. After two steps Kevin smacked her on the ass, out of appreciation for it and also to get her moving toward the dining room table.

"Honey!" she scolded him with a grin. "You're going to have to try extra hard to make me forget about all the work I have left to do on those books."

"Hike up your skirt and take a seat, I'll make you forget your own name."

"Kevinnn..." Jackie murmured, not to scold him but to express her surprise and delight. He'd gotten her to take a break, he wasn't going to let her go back to work that easily. When she got to the dining room table she turned and did as he suggested, pulling up the hem of her skirt while he watched. He got closer and helped push it up to her hips. She held up her skirt while he pulled her underwear down her legs. She stepped out of them one foot at a time, and they left her panties there on the floor.

"Now relax." Kevin said to her, dropping to his knees and staying there. Jackie leaned against the edge of the table, half sitting. "Close your eyes if you have to." he told her, because relaxing was not an option here.

"Yes sir." Jackie murmured in a naughty tone, smiling when his eyes darted up to glance at her. The wicked look he gave her caused a reaction that he tasted when he buried his face there between her legs. Jackie was vocal with her pleasure, taking advantage of the big empty house. He pressed deep with his tongue, and she scraped his scalp with her fingernails, her whines and moans filling the room and urging him on. He made it last, building her up slowly so her climax would be as satisfying as possible. The closer she got the less control she had over her body. She fell back on her elbows and her hips ground against his face. His hands held her waist, his arms underneath her legs on both sides. The way he held tight to her, controlling her enough to keep her in place, was as hot as everything else he was doing to her. Her body twisted slightly when she felt her orgasm coming, and she held the back of his head gently as she came.

"Hmmnn..." Jackie moaned when it was over, her whole body shaking from being in one position too long. Kevin groaned as he stood and straightened, his own body protesting from kneeling for an extended period of time. Jackie glanced at his crotch, and she could see clearly that she wouldn't be going back to her office study quite yet. Still catching her breath, Jackie pawed gently at his chest as he unbuckled and unzipped, preparing to take her body a second way. She made soft sounds of encouragement as he positioned himself, and loud sounds of approval when he grabbed her hips and stuck it in. She clung to his neck as she said his name and told him how good it felt, and he rocked both her and the table in response. He sigh-moaned over and over until Jackie's body made his body reach its peak of pleasure.

She continued to cling to him after he was finished, nuzzling their faces against each other like she did after every intense encounter.

"You feel better, don't you?" Kevin asked, stroking the skin on her thighs as she adjusted to life back on earth.

"Mmhm." Jackie nodded and smiled. "I bet you do too."

"Fuck yes, I do." he sighed. Jackie giggled, her smile like the sun after a heavy storm. Kevin gazed into her eyes and finished catching his breath. "Come on, take a shower with me." he suggested casually. "Then we can take a nap."

"Kevin..." Jackie said, warning him that she wouldn't, she _couldn't _do that.

"We'll set an alarm." he said reassuringly.

With her defenses low, and her desire to remain in Kevin's arms at an all time high, Jackie begrudgingly complied with his latest demands. His 'demands' were just a small way of repaying her for all her hard work and effort. She knew that in her heart.


	3. Talk To Me

**3. Talk To Me**

* * *

"Kevin?" Jackie called out in a curious tone as she entered her new home. She'd seen his truck in the driveway but he wasn't due back home for a few more hours. No one answered, but it wasn't that unbelievable. Their house was big, and if he was in one of the far rooms there was no way he could have heard her. An irrational spike of fear struck Jackie, and her imagination started to work overtime wondering why he would be home early without telling her. She rushed to put her bag on the table in the foyer, and she jogged up the main staircase to start looking for him.

"Kevin?" she called out again once she'd reached the second floor.

"In here, Jackie." She heard his voice coming from the master bedroom. He called out to her, that was a good sign, though his tone made it sound like something serious was going to be discussed once she got there.

"What are you doing home so early?" Jackie asked as she rounded the door jamb. She had a bright smile on her face, a smile that faltered when she saw him sitting on the edge of the bed, still in full uniform, combat boots still tied tight. Usually he dressed down a little at home, at the very least took off his boots to prevent tracking dirt on the immaculate upper floors. "Honey?" she said questioningly, her eyebrows furrowing.

Without speaking, Kevin leaned toward her bedside table and picked up an all too familiar looking orange bottle. He held it loosely in his hand, resting both hands on his legs and looking up at her.  
"I must have left those out earlier-" Jackie tried to explain right away.

"How long have you had these?" Kevin asked. He didn't want excuses, he wanted an explanation.

"Kevin." Jackie said softly, trying to buy herself time.

"Jackie, please." Kevin begged her. "I'm worried about you. The last time I saw this prescription bottle we were going through a pretty rough time."

The man speaking to Jackie was one hundred percent husband, the look on his face one of concern and void of judgment. He was worried about his wife, not about his command. It made Jackie drop all her defenses and suddenly she felt like she was going to cry. She'd been so afraid someone would find out about the pills, and now Kevin, the last person who needed to know how weak she really felt, was holding them in his hand and demanding answers.

Kevin lightened his tone, placed the bottle next to him on the bed and motioned for her to come to him. "Come here." he said, as tender as a man with a voice like his could be. Showing her own shame plainly on her face, Jackie walked to the bed and sat next to him, close enough for their legs to press together. Kevin sighed, and took one of her hands, enveloping it and making her feel even smaller in his tight grip. "Talk to me, baby."

"I didn't want to worry you." Jackie told him.

"It's too late for that. Lay it on me and we'll talk it out. Otherwise I'll be distracted, and you know what happens then."

Jackie nodded, and took a moment to gather her thoughts. "I don't want you to think I can't handle this." she said. She covered their clasped hands with her other hand, stroking her thumb across his knuckles. "Everything; the FRG, the parties, the promotion. Deployment." She added the last one, trying to shake the bitter taste of it before she spoke the word.

"Rare as it may be," said Kevin of her last point. "I know it takes a toll on you."

"It's not just that." Jackie shook her head, trying to find the right way to explain what she was feeling.

"You know you can tell me anything, Jackie."

"I do know that." she said. She was sure of that. But it didn't make it any easier to admit her weaknesses. She took a deep breath. She was strong enough to face much worse than this, and she was in a safe place. "When you're away, I have the FRG to keep me occupied. I spend all day and night making sure other people are okay, keeping the big machine going."

"You're the best." Kevin said, as if he shouldn't need to remind her. She smiled at him, appreciative, even though it was being the best that so exhausted her emotionally.

"When I come home..." she began to say. She trailed off, and all the lonely nights and exhaustion caught up with her. A lump formed in her throat, and few months worth of emotion surfaced at once. "With the kids gone," she said, her voice high-pitched and weak from impending cry. "There's no one to be strong for at home."

The first tears spilled, and Kevin couldn't stand seeing her face filled with such sorrow. It wasn't just that she was depressed, but she was ashamed of feeling depressed, of not being perfect all the time, the way she wanted everyone to see her.

"Oh, Jackie." Kevin sighed. He took his hand out from between her soft palms and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to him. She accepted his embrace and leaned into it, resting her face and her hand against his chest. "You don't have to be strong all the time."

Jackie allowed herself to believe that, even if it was just for a few minutes while she cried into Kevin's uniform. It was a great relief, just feeling his arms around her and knowing he was there and understood what she was going through. He rubbed her back, and cradled her head with his other hand. It had been quite a while since she'd broken down like this, or shown any cracks at all. Judging by the fact that she had a bottle of pills to use as an extra defense, she'd been putting off dealing with her feelings for far too long.

"I'm still adjusting to the changes." Jackie said, once the tears slowed enough for her to speak. She sniffled, and shifted in his embrace so her head rested on his shoulder and he could still rub her back. "I used to have a rhythm, with Sophie still in the house depending on me."

"And you've taken on more responsibilities to fill the void, is that it?"

"I suppose that's an accurate statement. I thought with the hurricane relief, a brand new project, I'd have something to throw myself into."

"You can't do it all yourself, Jackie. Imagine me charging into battle like that. There's a whole network of people I delegate to, isn't the FRG set up like that?"

"It is." said Jackie. "But if I want it all done right, I have to do it myself, or be there to oversee it."

"If you want it done right, you train the people around you to do it right for you. And if they don't do it right the first time, you yell at them until they know how."

The mood in the room lightened when Jackie laughed. She lifted her head and swept the tears away with her finger tips. "The FRG doesn't work that way." she chided him, the shine in her eyes not hiding the wry expression in them. "I'm a benevolent ruler, Kevin."

Kevin smiled, knowing that certainly was the truth. Kevin used a stern brow to instill discipline. Jackie gave orders with a smile and only moved on when the answer given to her was a yes. Jackie's lighter expression faltered when she considered a related issue.

"That's the other thing." she said. "This thing with Claudia Joy..."

"Was a misunderstanding, just like Denise said." Kevin said dismissively, missing the point.

"She doesn't like me, Kevin. Whether it's justified or not, there's a rift there I need to fix. It affects everything we do as community leaders on this base. Not to mention her friendship with Denise, which I seem to be destroying just by being here and doing what I always do."

"Have you spoken to her since...?"

"Since she accused me? No. Denise said they patched things up, but...I don't know. If Audrey Whitaker has been in her ear this whole time..."

"Speaking of old -"

"Don't even finish that sentence." Jackie warned him, though she appreciated the sentiment.

"_Friends_, I was going to say friends." Kevin added, though his sly look said otherwise.

"They _are _old friends. In her eyes, I'm Denise's Audrey Whitaker. In her ear, trying to stir things up and turn them in my favor. I didn't think any of the changes I've made were radical in the least, let alone damaging to Michael Holden's career, but...I guess she was used to the way things were, when she was running the show. God...I of all people should know what it's like to need things done a certain way."

"It sounds like she was adjusting to the changes." Kevin pointed out. "Her daughter's in college now, too. Sound familiar?"

"It does." Jackie admitted. Then, like a harsh light switched on in her head, her face lit up with sudden fear of a forgotten duty. "I never sent her a care package! What she must be dealing with now, the dialysis! Before she left town I was going to put a meal schedule together for all the ladies to cook for her, so she wouldn't have to worry or even think about the diet restrictions..."

Kevin closed his eyes as she went on. Her heart was in the right place, but he was fairly certain the last thing Claudia Joy needed was her imagined nemesis taking over her diet too.

"Jackie," he interjected quickly when she paused to take a breath. "We just laid out all your burdens. Don't go taking on any of hers."

Jackie's shoulders slumped, knowing deep down in that big heart of hers that the best thing she could do was back off and let Claudia Joy's own family take care of Claudia Joy. "I know, but of all the things to happen to her? If she felt her life was unraveling already, to lose her health too?"

"If only she knew how much you understand what she's going through." Kevin reached up and cupped Jackie's cheek with his palm. Worrying about others may have taxed her emotionally, but it was also what made her strong. She already looked more sure of herself, more determined to fix things, just thinking about Claudia Joy's problems instead. "She's a general's wife." Kevin reminded her. "She's stronger than even she knows."

Jackie tsked, and wrapped her fingers around his. She pulled his hand to her mouth, kissing his palm for saying such sweet things to her.

"However," Kevin sighed. He took his hand from her face, from her clasped hand, and reached for the bottle tucked next to his leg. "Speaking of unraveling health: how many of these have you had?" He shook it, somewhat relieved to hear a good rattle inside.

"Only three of them." Jackie said truthfully, reassuring both Kevin and herself.

"Do you need them?" he asked. _The truth now, _his eyes spoke to her silently. _We'll deal with it if you do._

Jackie sat up straight and took a deep breath, assessing the situation as she saw it. She let the deep breath out in a big exhale of relief. "No." she said. "They're a crutch. A mistake disguised as an easy way out."

"So if I were to flush these down the toilet right now, you wouldn't go out and get more of them?"

Jackie's confident look remained. "No." she said. And for the first time since she'd begun falling apart she believed it. Maybe three pills weren't a big deal to the average patient, but with Jackie's medical history and no vacation in sight, they knew this had to stop now before it went to far.

"I'm sorry I can't be here for you all the time." said Kevin, putting the bottle aside for the time being. Jackie tried to cut him off, but he knew what she was going to say. "I know," he continued before she could say it. "It's not like that. You know this job as well as I do. I just need to know you'll get the support you need, when you need it. Call Denise, take a day off. Whatever you need to do. And if I'm available, for god's sake, talk to me, Jackie. Take advantage of me while the weather's calm. You support me, you support the Army, but that can't be a one way road."

Jackie looked at her husband and she saw the truth. She listened to what he said, and she heard what she had to do. This was why she worked so hard. She believed in him, and he believed in her. They worked together, not alone. Their worst days were behind them and there was no reason to make a difficult situation worse.

"Thank you." Jackie said, as she put her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. "I really needed to hear that."

As she moved in, Kevin kissed her temple and he enveloped her in a strong embrace. "You need to be taken care of sometimes too." he said. "The way you take care of everyone else. Because I honestly don't know what I'd do without you."

Jackie drew back slightly so she could look into her husband's eyes. Her hand stroked the side of his face, and she could feel his reassuring gaze as much as she saw it.

"I love you, Jackie."

"I love you too."

Kevin pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. Jackie tilted her head, asking for his lips, and they shared a long, sweet kiss.

"Do you have anywhere you need to be tonight?" she asked afterward, looking up at him through still glistening eyes.

"I don't." he said. "I'm a free man."

"Do you want to go out for an early dinner? Spend the evening at home, together?"

Kevin smiled at her suggestion. "I'd love to."

Jackie offered him a soft smile in return, and told him she would start getting ready. It might not solve all her problems, but a few solid, uninterrupted hours of just the two of them would certainly help.


	4. Stop Working

A/N: Please excuse the seeming inversion of the show canon, I started this chapter before watching After Action Report and it is total opposite-town of how the episode played out! Besides that, these chapters aren't meant to be in chronological order or even related to one another. Just a collection of different scenes for the Clarkes, inspired by or in spite of their scenes on the show. (If I were to put them in order so far, it would be 4, 2, 1, 3.) Enjoy!

* * *

**4. Stop Working**

* * *

Jackie's head was beginning to hurt when she heard the front door open. For a second she felt happy, knowing Kevin was home and she'd be able to vent to someone. Then she heard the door slam shut, the sound like a thunderclap to her sensitive ears. It startled her, and being startled in such a way pissed her off.

While Jackie slowly pushed back the chair she was sitting in and exited her office, the sounds of an angry soldier continued. A cabinet in the study was opened and slammed shut, a thick glass dropped onto a desk. The only moment of peace was the bourbon being poured into that glass. That was the moment Jackie appeared in the door way. Kevin finished pouring and looked up, dropping the bottle of scotch onto the desk with a rude thud. With Jackie's bare feet, he hadn't heard her approaching.

They regarded each other through a mean lens of mutual aggravation, each wondering what the hell the other was looking at.

"Were you trying to get my attention?" Jackie asked, and not politely.

"A soldier can't come home and fix himself a drink?" Kevin asked defensively. He picked up the glass, and paused for just a second to look her up and down. His eyes raked over her like he could see her naked body through her clothes. Jackie didn't miss the flicker in his eyes, but in her current state, his words cut deeper than his look. She stared at him while he tipped the glass and gulped the drink like a shot.

"A soldier can do whatever the hell he wants," she said as he poured himself another. "As long as he doesn't slam every door in the house when his wife is trying to work."

"Here's a suggestion." Kevin shrugged carelessly and fixed his eyes on her. "_Stop working_."

Jackie's simmering annoyance was now pure anger. She couldn't believe he'd just gone there. Perhaps if they'd both been thinking clearly, Kevin would have apologized for his behavior and forgiven Jackie her nagging, and she would have backed down with the understanding that he'd just had a bad day. Instead he'd chosen to attack her with sarcasm, which only added fuel to a dangerously hungry flame.

"Stop working?" she asked in disbelief, eyebrows raised, head cocked defiantly.

"Jackie." Kevin warned her with his tone.

"You want me to stop working?" she continued. "How about I take one of the stars off your arm while I'm at it? How 'bout I take both? Does 'Private Clarke' sound good to you? Because that's what you'd still be if it weren't for your miserable, nagging, workaholic wife."

"Jesus..." Kevin muttered, trying to keep his cool. He hadn't had enough to drink yet to numb the barbs they threw at each other when they fought.

"I'm so sorry the concept of needing peace and quiet to keep your house in order is so unbelievably difficult to wrap your mind around, Kevin."

"I've already got a headache." he told her. "I don't need a second one."

"Have another drink, then. Tune me out."

"Would you stop already?" Kevin barked. He left the bottle and glass where they were and walked toward the door. He didn't want to fight, he wanted to be free of the tension. When he left like that, Jackie felt like he was taking a part of her and crumpling it in his hands like it was nothing. Like he was running away from his problems, running away from her.

"You don't _listen _to me!" she shouted suddenly, her verbal outburst accompanied by a shove neither of them was expecting. As he passed her in the doorway she reached out and pushed hard against his arm with both hands, her anger channeled physically for one surprising moment. The fact that it barely moved him off course only made it all worse. He turned to her, his brow furrowed in surprise and anger.

"You don't talk!" he shot back. "Not unless it's about my job, or the FRG! I work all god damn day, is it that unbelievable that I'd want to come home and talk about something else for five minutes before planning out the next three months of our social calendar?"

"I do that for both of us!" Jackie insisted, insulted to her core that he would dismiss all of her hard work so easily. "Maybe if you weren't so 'busy' you could figure it out yourself, but you rely on me and I get it done. If I didn't tell you -"

"If you didn't tell me where I'm going to be every free second of my life, the world would end, right Jackie? If you could hear yourself sometimes!"

If she hadn't been so upset she would have burst into tears. She was too angry to cry.

"That is so unfair." Jackie said, exercising such control over her voice to keep it from going shaky. "Why is it okay for them to tell you where to be? To be ordered by them? When they tell you to jump out of a plane you hop to, why is it so horrible I should ask you to have dinner with a few friends every once in a while?"

Kevin closed his eyes and shook his head. Her anger was fueled by her doubts, but his was fueled by frustration. They'd let the work come between them for so long they didn't know how to approach each other unless the work was involved.

"Is it that difficult to choke down the food?" she continued. "Or is it me? Has my company become such a torture?"

Kevin's anger faded as Jackie's anxieties were revealed. It dawned on him, something that he already knew about his wife, that she was a perfectionist and a workaholic because missing one tiny detail really did feel like the end of the world to her. She did it all for him, and whether he appreciated it or not, she did it because he allowed her to think that was all he needed from her.

Jackie remained unaware of Kevin's little revelation, and his silence came across as an insult.

"Answer me!" Jackie pushed his chest with both hands. Her palms made contact and he was actually moved back an inch that time. His feet shuffled and he caught his balance quickly, setting his jaw as he stood up straight.

"Shove me again Jackie, and I swear to god..."

"What?" Jackie snapped. There was a second of pure tension while Kevin waited, and Jackie decided to defy his empty threat. She shoved him with what seemed like a great ease of choice, calling his bluff. He used the momentum to twist his body into a dominant position, and as quick as she reached out, he grabbed her wrists and backed her up neatly against the wall outside his study. She struggled against him, but he was strong and calm, much calmer than she was at the moment.

"Stop." he said evenly, no more anger in his voice.

"Let me go." she told him through clenched teeth, and it was not a request.

"_Stop._" he said again, because she struggled even harder against his calmness. Somehow it was more frustrating that way, to see him suddenly in control while she felt her own slipping away. He was looking at her with an unreadable expression and she was sick of it. When he did not comply, she tried wrenching her wrists from his grip, but he only held her tighter and pressed his body closer, restraining her completely. She was only hurting herself by struggling, so she stopped, and his grip loosened.

"Let me go." she said again, trying to shut down her emotions so he would see the fight as over and just give up. He stayed where he was, pressed against her and feeling her breathe in and out.

"Did it ever occur to you that I might want you all to myself sometimes?" he asked, in a voice so low and so soothing her body actually relaxed from the sound of it. Inside she was still seething, too ready to take anything he said as an offense to all her hard work. All to himself, what did that even mean?

"No VIP's, no shop talk. Just my wife. The woman that used to make love to me 'til all hours of the night."

Fond memories mixed with her immediate feelings of anger and betrayal. She remembered those nights. They just didn't have time for them anymore. Did they?

He tilted his head, leaning down to kiss her. Jackie's reflex was to close her eyes and lean into it, but after a blissful second she remembered she was angry at him and she sucked his bottom lip into her mouth and bit him. His head jerked back. It hurt and he wondered if she hadn't drawn blood. The look in her eyes then was so defiant - _You think you're going to interrupt my hard labor and use me? _ - but Kevin would not give up so easily. She needed this as badly as he did.

"That feel good?" he asked sarcastically.

"What do you think?" Jackie snapped.

Kevin stared hard at her, fire in both their eyes. "I think we both need a good fuck." he said.

Jackie's fists clenched, and her wrists twisted in his grip. It felt like forever since he'd talked dirty to her. She was staring at the spot she'd bit him. She wanted more.

Jackie lunged first. Their lips crashed together, both punishment and reward for losing their temper. When life was supposed to be pretty and perfect all the time, animal instinct was repressed until the pressure became too much and they exploded, attacking each other with rough passion that would leave well-earned bruises.

The house was quiet with just the two of them in it, but for them the hallway was filled with the sound of their furious kisses, the heavy breathing and the rustling of Kevin's fatigues against Jackie's soft blouse and flowery skirt. There were also the bumps and thumps as Jackie tried even harder to be free of his tight grasp. She'd thrust her body toward his, only to have him pin her back to the wall. Their tongues were deep into each other's mouths, making it impossible to speak except with their bodies.

Jackie moaned deeply, feeling Kevin's kiss right in her core.

_I think we both need a good fuck._

Kevin's grip on her wrists tightened; he wasn't even aware of it. He just wanted her that badly, wanted to take her that badly. Jackie whimpered, the pain becoming just a little too much. He realized, and released her. Less than a minute ago Jackie would have taken the chance to push him away, but now she threw her arms around his neck and all but lifted herself off the floor to kiss him even more deeply. He put his hands on her waist, feeling up her rib cage. She was so soft, and so warm, and inside she was _hot_, first with anger and now with a sexual need so intense she was going to eat him alive.

Kevin needed Jackie too. He needed to feel every soft inch and fuck the anger right out of her. He broke their kiss abruptly, bending his knees just enough so he could reach down and grab the backs of her thighs. He pulled her up roughly, and without missing a beat, Jackie wrapped her legs around his waist. He slammed her against the wall and they went back to attacking each other's mouths. Jackie whined angrily at the slamming, but her only retaliation was to grind her hips against his body. The next time she thrust away from the wall he wrapped his arm tightly around her waist, and his other arm snaked up her back until his hand was holding the back of her neck, tangled in her hair. He spun and staggered back, locked in that deep, all-consuming kiss, until his back hit the door jamb. Kevin grunted, and Jackie cried out, both into the other's mouth, but they ignored the pain and kept moving.

It only slowed when Kevin walked them over to the couch that lined part of the left wall and dropped her onto it. Jackie had never liked the couch. It was so masculine, done in brown leather and brass studs, so typical of an officer's study. Now that she was watching him undress next to it, now that she felt the thick cushion and the cold, smooth surface underneath her own half naked body, she couldn't imagine a better place for what they were doing. It was his couch, in his study, and she was his wife. Under the fatigues was a trained, rock hard body that needed to take her, and it was ready to take her _now_.

She wasn't moving fast enough. Her clothes were gone, but her bra remained, and she was just starting to push her underwear down when he mounted the couch and manhandled her into the position he wanted. The panties were off in another short second and her legs fell open, waiting for him to do the taking. He grabbed her hip with one hand, his thumb pressing the little tattoo of a butterfly that, if she'd had her panties on, would have been half covered by the fabric.

"Take it off." he said.

Jackie unclasped her bra quickly, obeying his order the way a general should be obeyed. Kevin positioned his body over her, and suddenly she could feel one of his fingers penetrating her. Jackie cried out, and both of their bodies reacted to him being inside of her, even just that small part of him. Kevin could _feel _how turned on she was, her softness, while he grew and hardened from the sounds she was making.

Jackie wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself up on his taut muscles and starting that furious kissing back up again. He pushed deeper into her with his finger, pushing past the tightness until he could glide easily in and out. Jackie moaned against his mouth. She was so wet, a second finger slipped inside and gently stretched her before she could register what was happening. Her moan got caught in her throat, and her jaw dropped open, their foreheads pressed together. She cried out, the intensity a match for the hard pumping of his hand as Kevin covered her upper body in hungry kisses, sucking at her skin and lapping at her breasts. She clung to his neck with one arm, and she reached down between them with the opposite hand to wrap her fingers around his working wrist so she could feel the motion.

Jackie moaned, reaching for his cock. Her hand closed around it for a moment and he groaned. He wanted him to be inside her too. He took her by the wrists and put her hands over her head, pinning both wrists together so he could push into her with one quick, hard thrust. Jackie called out loudly, a primal yell. She sucked air into her lungs so she could do it again, and again, and he thrust into her harder, faster, with little pauses in between so she could get hold of her senses just long enough to lose them again each time.

Gradually, as the vicious joy of hard fucking faded and Kevin was reminded how good it felt just to be inside her, the harsh thrusting found a smoother, even rhythm that brought Jackie so much body-numbing pleasure she thought she might be floating.

"Kevin..." Jackie moaned. He kissed her, and their lips smacked softly in the now quiet room.

"You're so fucking warm," he said, his voice strained as his hips stayed in constant motion. Her sweet moan in response betrayed the effect his voice had on her. "I'd live inside you, if I could."

With a quick shift Kevin, repositioned his hips, pulled out and then pushed so deep into her she thought he was trying to make his wish come true.

Jackie moaned loudly and struggled to get one of her wrists free. Kevin tightened his grip on her and moved his other hand to stimulate the spot where she was so desperate to touch herself. She was already quivering from his deep, complete penetration. When he added his thumb, her chest rose and her hips dropped, grinding against his hand. She twisted her head to the side and pressed her lips together, fighting desperately to make her orgasm start. She got lost in the feeling right before it, whining and moaning until it blossomed and flashed all through her body, causing her mouth to open and a delicious, involuntary moan to escape her throat.

Kevin moaned in appreciation of the magic her body possessed, feeling it inside and out as she writhed underneath him. He thrust harder and deeper into her, the need to fuck and finish inside of her returning now that she'd gotten hers. It was nice to know she still turned him on that intensely. Jackie began to fight against his motions, knowing his need to be in control and conquer her would drive him crazy. She watched his face, and sure enough she could see it building slowly. The hand that had expertly stimulated her and brought her to orgasm now gripped her thigh, pushing her legs apart while she squeezed both legs together. She squeezed everything, making it tighter and making his forceful motions more intense for both of them. She let her strong leg muscles give out with a little cry of pleasure, knowing he was going to come inside of her any moment. Kevin set her wrists free, braced that hand on the arm of the couch above her head and let his hips take over. Jackie moaned, grabbing at his ass and digging her fingernails into his flesh.

"Yes," Jackie whimpered. "Please, yes..." she begged him to fill her up. Kevin tensed, and she felt it start, felt the lack of control he had over his body for those intense moments. Still in the middle of it Kevin covered Jackie with his body, as if to protect her, to have her and hold her as close as possible. It may have been intense but he wasn't just fucking the woman that planned out his life. He was making love to his wife, the mother of his children and the woman he'd decided to live the rest of his life with, whether he was working or not.

They'd broken through their invisible wall. They could both feel it, after relieving the tension with sex, and they clung to each other on the couch for a long time afterward. Now that they were close again they didn't want to let go. If it was a spell, a side effect of the lust and satisfaction, they didn't want to break it.

"I love you." Kevin said, nuzzling her face. He knew he didn't say it often enough. It was impossible to express how much he felt for her, and difficult besides, when he was so used to setting his emotions aside so he could effectively take care of business. Once Jackie had grown accustomed to the distance, he'd stopped trying.

To hear the words while she was still glowing from the orgasm he'd given her, while he was still inside her, it meant a lot. It made her feel complete in a way she hadn't felt in a long time, since they'd grown apart and given up on real intimacy. She needed him to make her feel that way, not just take her over but make it his mission to make every inch of her feel loved. The most important part was in her heart.

"I love you too." Jackie replied. She was able to keep the well of tears from spilling, but Kevin heard the emotion in her voice. He kissed her lips to reassure her. He'd be ashamed to admit that he'd turned from her tear-filled eyes on a few occassions, thinking it would spare her pride. She stayed so convincingly strong for him. It was easy to forget she just needed to be held sometimes.

Jackie felt his hand on her hip. He tilted his head so he could look at her tattoo. His thumb stroked the small representation softly, before moving on and running the backs of his fingers across her belly.

"It's been too long since I've seen that butterfly." Kevin told her.

"It's always right here." Jackie replied. She snuggled up to him, not planning on leaving his embrace any time soon. Kevin wrapped his arms around her and resolved to forget the rest of the world for the next hour or so.

"I'll remember that."


	5. Vacation, part 1

A/N: This is the first chapter of a fluffy (and smutty) vacation story for The Clarkes. It could be its own fic but I want to keep all my Clarke stuff in one place. c:

* * *

**Vacation**

* * *

Kevin packed the car up while Jackie spent the morning on her phone, making all the necessary, last minute arrangements for their absence. He watched her power walking through their house, phone in her left hand while her right furiously took notes and searched her purse for every item she might need for a weekend trip. Oh, she was going to kill Kevin when she found out what their plans actually were. Kill him, then kiss him.

"Let's get on the road." Kevin whispered as she passed him in the hallway for the fifth time. She put her pointer finger up and grimaced apologetically.

"One more second." she mouthed back. Kevin smiled and glanced at his watch. She knew he liked to be efficient and punctual, but she thought it was just a road trip, that they were making their own schedule. She didn't realize they had a plane to catch.

When Kevin pulled on to the highway she was still on her Blackberry, down to texting but still distracted enough to miss which way he was going.

"Jackie." Kevin scolded her lightly.

"I knowwww." she sang, sheepish as she continued typing with her thumbs.

"I thought you wanted a vacation." he teased.

"I do!" Jackie exclaimed. She hit send and immediately tucked the phone in her purse afterward. Then she turned to Kevin and smiled brightly. "I'm all yours."

"Phone off?"

"No..."

Kevin chuckled. "I can't believe I unplugged before you. No, on secound thought, I can believe it."

Jackie giggled, the way she did when she was truly excited and happy. She looked out the front window, and slowly she realized they were headed east, not toward the interstate.

"Kevin..." she said softly, confused, not sure yet if she should bring it up.

"Yes?" he answered, humoring her because he knew exactly what realization was dawning on her.

"Sweetie, you're going the wrong way. Savannah's that way." Jackie pointed to the back, at the rapidly receding road behind them.

"We're not going to Savannah." Kevin stated simply.

"Kevin. What...are you talking about? I booked us a room, the tee time, the _brunch_?"

"I'm so sorry, Jackie." said Kevin, his poker face revealing nothing. "I had to cancel all of it."

Jackie stared at her unyielding husband. "...What?" she asked in a flat tone. It was the only word she could speak at such a moment. She felt like maybe she should be enraged, but Kevin was so calm. And he was smiling.

He reached over and took her hand from her lap, clasping it and resting their hands closer to his leg.

"I have a surprise for you." he said.

Jackie narrowed her eyes, and leaned back in her seat once she realized she'd sat straight up and forward at '_not going to Savannah_.'

Kevin snuck a glance at her. Jackie regarded the look on his face, and decided he looked confident.

"I don't know how I feel about this." said Jackie.

"I think you'll like it." said Kevin.

"You _think_?"

"I think that feeling that you want to kill me will fade once you realize where we're going."

Jackie continued her narrow eyed stare, racking her brain for clues. Suddenly her eyes opened wide, and her mouth came open in an astonished smile.

"You didn't."

"Didn't what?"

"We're not!"

"Not what?"

"Kevin!" Jackie begged, whining like a girl. "Tell me!"

"Seems like you have all the answers, sweetheart." Kevin continued to tease her.

Jackie shook her head, not thinking it possible for Kevin to have gone to such lengths to surprise her. Her curious smile remained, until she saw a road sign for the airport. The grin that burst like the sun, that alone for Kevin was worth all the sneaking and secret planning. It was difficult to keep things from such an observant, thorough woman.

Her mind analyzed quickly, and she knew him well enough to know where he'd put the important paperwork. With her free hand, Jackie reached for the glove box, and she was rewarded for her lightning quick sleuthing. Scanning the plane tickets, she found their destination. She'd mentioned it once, casually, after a colleague had mentioned it at one of her business lunches. She didn't think Kevin had been listening at the time.

Kevin took the airport exit, holding her hand all the way down the ramp.

"This vacation is long overdue, and I have a lot to make up for." said Kevin. "We'll go to Savannah some other time."

"Kevin." Jackie said softly, in a completely different tone. Her breath had been taken away, and finally it was not from exercise or stress or yelling in anger.

They caught a red light, and Jackie leaned over, cupping Kevin's far cheek in her palm and giving him a kiss on the closer one. He looked at her when she leaned back, so he could record that look on her face in his memory.

"You're in shock." he said with a smile.

"Speechless, at least." she replied. She didn't want to admit that she might cry right there in the car.

Kevin chuckled and reached over to touch the back of her neck in a supportive, loving gesture. He rubbed her reassuringly; it was a bit rough, but she liked the power of his love for her. At least he was showing it. Right before the light turned green, he leaned over and kissed her on the lips. He leaned back right after so he could keep the flow of traffic going. She could take him away from his command, but he was always going to be the disciplined, law abiding soldier. She'd have him all to herself in just a few hours, on a beach, in a private bungalow, on a small island surrounded by clear blue water...


	6. Vacation, part 2

**Vacation, part 2  
**

* * *

Kevin had their bags whisked away to their room when they arrived at the resort. The jet they'd flown in on had been so comfortable, such a relaxing atmosphere, Jackie didn't even mind going straight to dinner first.

"Kevin this is _beautiful_. I wish I could have changed first, but I'm so hungry, and this menu looks _so_ good..."

"You look amazing." Kevin reassured her.

Jackie tsked, glancing at him over her menu with a smirk. It was a husband's job to say that, he couldn't mean it for real.

"Jackie." he said, getting her full attention. She looked up, and her eyes, her face, everything about her made it so easy for him to say what was coming next. "You're beautiful." he said, and when he said it that way, she believed it. Her expression softened, and her next smile was genuine. He was so convincing when he looked into her eyes. There was just no arguing with the General.

"You look more relaxed already." he told her.

"That's what happens when I spend quality time with you." she said. "When it's just us."

"We're going to have a good time here, Jackie. I'll make sure of it."

"Have you made it your mission?"

"It's my _only_ mission."

Jackie's eyes sparkled when she smiled. "Well in that case, I won't have to worry about it getting done."

"First order of business-"

Jackie cleared her throat gently. "No business." she reminded him quietly.

"Excuse me," Kevin corrected himself, smiling. "First order of _pleasure_ will be to pick out a bottle of wine."

"Hmm..." Jackie scanned the list, looking for a favorite. "Red or white?"

"You're the expert." said Kevin. "I'll defer to you."

"Wise man." Jackie murmured, following up with an endearingly smug smile and a sneaky glance to make sure Kevin was smiling back. The smirk she saw on his face put a nice warm feeling in her belly. He was so sexy when he thought she was being cute.

Once the wine was tasted and poured, Kevin offered up a toast to Jackie.

"To my beautiful, loyal, hard-working wife. I fell in love before I even knew her name."

Jackie smiled, and drank when Kevin drank, but she had some doubts about his assertion.

"You learned my name within a minute of seeing me for the first time." she said, narrowing her eyes.

"I know." said Kevin. "Why do you think I asked your name in the first place?"

"You got in a lot of trouble for that, didn't you?" Jackie's cheeks tingled at the memory of their first meeting.

"As I recall, you stayed to watch my punishment."

"Fifty push-ups just for breaking formation. Thinking about it now, it seems pretty mild considering the reason you gave."

"I think the sergeant understood."

Jackie smiled demurely, looking down into her glass of deep red wine. Kevin leaned forward and lowered his voice.

"Walking around base in a mini skirt?" he said. "We thought you were part of the training exercise."

"You failed that discipline test, didn't you?"

"It was worth it." Kevin smiled, and shook his head in appreciation. They'd both gotten a little older, but he could still see the same flirtatious sparkle in her eyes when they talked about it. Cute little Jackie, barely twenty years old, in a mini skirt and heels, walking past a group of jogging soldiers as if she didn't expect each and every one of them to get whiplash trying to check her out. She thought she'd passed them, when she became aware of someone walking beside her, keeping pace with her as if he hadn't just broken formation to come chat her up.

"You remember what I said when the sergeant asked what the hell I was doing?"

Jackie set her elbows on the table, folded her hands together and rested her chin on them. "You told him it was the most important recon a man could be sent to gather."

Kevin nodded, his proud smile causing the butterflies in Jackie's heart to flutter their wings. "I was getting the name of my future wife."

"That was the moment I fell in love with you." said Jackie, not for the first time. "Although..." she went on, the glimmer of sarcasm returning to her eyes. "Watching you do those fifty push-ups for me didn't hurt either."

"I was thinking about your legs the entire time. I could have done a thousand for you."

Jackie grinned, and she crossed those legs underneath the dinner table. Their trip down memory lane was put on pause when the waiter returned to take their order.

* * *

After dinner the Clarkes walked outside to find the path to their private bungalow. It was right on the beach. Jackie was going to hear the water each night as she went to sleep, and each morning when she woke up. The torch-lit path was quiet, the soft din of music and other guests fading as they reached their home for the week.

Kevin stepped forward to open the door for her, as he always did. The smell of fresh flowers was the first thing she noticed, and the sight of vases full of orchids all over the room made her heart melt. She stopped in the doorway, too overwhelmed to take another step inside. She felt Kevin close behind her, with his hands on either side of the doorway, protecting her from the outside world as she took in the sight of her own private paradise. Jackie half turned, and rested a hand on Kevin's shoulder. She surveyed the beautiful arrangement for a few seconds more before fully facing him.

"I told them," said Kevin. "Orchids. Fill it with orchids."

Two dainty arms wrapped around his neck, and he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. The look of love he'd seen in her eyes, once again, made every single second of planning and every dollar spent more than worth it.

"You like it?" Kevin asked, even though he knew from her reaction that she'd been blown away by his efforts already.

"I can't even describe." Jackie said. She pulled away to look over her shoulder, noticing this time all the lit candles, the fruit and chocolate by their bed, all her clothes hanging in the closet, having been put away by the staff as they ate. There were new clothes too, including an incredibly soft and comfortable looking set of pajamas laid out on her side of the bed. There was so much to take in, just in their bedroom, on the first night alone.

As she turned back to Kevin, Jackie licked her lips and planted a big wet kiss on his mouth. She kissed him many times, until she had to hug him tight again and tell him how much she loved him.

"I can't believe you set all this up." she whispered.

"Well," his voice rumbled in her ears, and especially in her heart. "I had a lot of help from the staff and a few choice consultants..."

"Oh my god!" Jackie drew her head back quickly. "Is that why Denise kept asking me about my clothing sizes?"

"I knew if I surprised you, you wouldn't be packed for a week in the Caribbean."

"A whole _week ._" Jackie gushed. "Kevin!" she squeaked.

She reached up to pet his face, the look of love in her eyes reaching all new levels of adorable.

"You're going to spend every second of it relaxed and happy." he promised.

* * *

Tired from traveling, Jackie changed into her vacation PJ's and let Kevin open the bottle of chilled champagne on the bedside table. Reclined on the bed in her soft white camisole and matching pants, Jackie accepted a bubbly glass from her husband and waited for him to lay down beside her. She didn't finish the whole drink, deciding at some point to place it safely on her bedside table so she could curl up against Kevin's warm body and cuddle him. She slept like a baby that night, listening to the sea and resting calm in his arms.


	7. Vacation, part 3

_**A/N:**__ I've been sitting on this chapter for a while, waiting for it to finish itself. Stories don't do that, you know! There is a new chapter after this that I would like to share, so I'm scrapping the rest of my 'Vacation' plans and moving on. Please enjoy the rest of The Clarkes On Vacation. They certainly will..._

**Vacation, part 3**

Kevin woke up at his normal time. He no longer needed an alarm. He watched Jackie sleep, contemplating long and hard whether or not to wake her up and invite her on his morning run. She really had been exhausted lately, and she looked too peaceful, too content to disturb. She was still curled up on her side, in the same position that she'd fallen asleep in right next to him. He decided to let her sleep, thinking he'd be back before she woke up anyway.

Halfway into mile three, Kevin realized he didn't want to risk it. He wanted to be there when she woke up. So he ran back, showered and climbed back into bed. Her eyelids fluttered when she felt the bed move, and she was aware of Kevin pulling the sheet over their bodies. A knowing smile transformed her face from restful calm to peaceful and sunny. Without opening her eyes, Jackie shifted her body just a little closer to his.

"You smell good." she murmured sleepily.

Kevin kissed her forehead. "You can keep sleeping." he told her.

"I'm awake." she said, a yawn and her tired tone betraying her.

"Technically." he said, smiling at all the pretty faces she made while leaving dreamland.

"This bed is so comfortable." she murmured. "I want to stay in it forever."

"Sounds like a good idea to me."

Jackie's smile deepened when she felt Kevin's fingers brushing the skin on the front of her body, tracing a line along the curve of her breasts. With a deep inhale, Jackie opened her eyes.

"I just remembered where we are." she said, looking into Kevin's eyes with a dreamy expression. "My heart races every time I think of it."

Kevin kept tracing. "What do you want to do today?" he asked.

"Hmm." Jackie closed her eyes and thought for a moment. "Break my diet." she decided. "I just want to eat, and be with you. Did you have any plans?" she asked belatedly. He'd done well so far.

"I had ideas." he said. "Why don't we go find breakfast and talk about them?"

They ended up going with Kevin's first suggestion: sailing. They both knew the basics, but it was mostly to fulfill Kevin's desire to play skipper for a day. Jackie was happy to sit back and watch him play.

"I wonder if you should have gone into the Navy?" Jackie teased him, rubbing his back when he was at the helm.

"You watch that mouth." he scolded, turning to give her a quick kiss. The real captain of the ship continued giving Kevin advice, and Jackie left them to it. If Kevin had joined the Navy, then sailing on their vacation probably wouldn't have been this fun.

Kevin noticed Jackie was missing from his side a while later. He'd gotten so wrapped up in his hobby. He saw her staring out wistfully at the ocean, the strong breeze lifting her hair and ruffling the gauzy white fabric - if he could even call it that - of her cover-up. She'd worn a bikini, covering both top and bottom with a sheer dress sort of thing. She called it a cover-up, but you could still see what she was wearing underneath. He wondered if that wasn't the point. All he knew for sure was that she was sexy, and he wanted to be near her, put his hands on her, make sure everyone that saw her knew she belonged to him and that he was damn proud of that.

He came up behind her, surprising her when he wrapped his arms around her waist. The cover-up was soft. So was her stomach.

"Having a good time?" he asked. He gave her temple a kiss, and pressed the side of his face against hers.

"The best." Jackie sighed, leaning back against his chest.

"That's good. That's all that matters. Just let me know if you want to head back."

"Not yet." Jackie assured him, patting his forearms. "You keep playing until they make you put your toys away."

Kevin chuckled at her analogy, finding it quite fitting. "You want to help bring her in?" he asked. "You're better than me at all this, we both know it. What would your father say if he saw you sitting out here, not showing me how to tie a better knot?"

Jackie looked over her shoulder, up at Kevin's face. "You sure you don't mind?"

"Come on," Kevin encouraged her. "I bet you'll surprise the captain."

Seeing him so relaxed, so agreeable and encouraging, put a smile on her face. "Okay." Jackie agreed quietly, so quietly Kevin had to ask to make sure he was reading her happy expression correctly.

"You'll help?" he asked excitedly. He'd brought her to the island so they could reconnect, after all. The more they did together the better.

"Yes." Jackie said clearly, nodding her head once to punctuate her answer.

"Come on!" Kevin pulled away, taking her hand and pulling her with him.

"Okay!" Jackie laughed and followed.

"Are you hungry?" Kevin asked as they walked down the dock in the marina, before they were even on dry land again.

"We can get dinner now." Jackie offered. "I was going to change into real clothes first. Can we stop by the bungalow?"

"Of course." said Kevin. They walked close to one another, close enough for Kevin to put his arm around Jackie's waist and hold her closer.

When they got back to their bungalow - vacation home base - Jackie was all smiles and stories. Asking her to help with the sails on the return trip perked her right up, snapping her out of whatever wistful, reflective mood she'd been stuck in all alone.

"It really was a beautiful boat, honey." she said to Kevin. "I'm glad you found it. I don't think any of the smaller ones would have been as fun for you."

As she spoke, Jackie walked toward the large chest of drawers near her side of the bed. She opened the top drawer, looking through her new vacation wardrobe for an appropriate top to wear to dinner.

"Anywhere you turn, there's a beautiful view." she continued, not realizing Kevin was still standing near the door in his t-shirt and swimming trunks. He watched her move, and listened to her talk animatedly about how much she was loving their vacation. She picked out a shirt, placed it carefully on the bed, and then turned to the closet to find a skirt. "I still can't believe you did all this." she said, referring to the clothes. He knew how much she adored her fashion, and it was a part of their trip now, all hers to keep.

"And the food?" Jackie gushed. She took a skirt over to the bed and tossed it next to the shirt. Kevin watched her pull the cover-up over her head, and he stepped closer, drawn to her body. She was just reaching for the strings on her bikini when Kevin came up behind her to do the honors himself. Jackie stopped reaching and smiled when she felt one of his strong hands pulling apart the tight bow at the base of her neck. He then tugged at the knot that rested against the middle of her back. Her bikini top was loose, waiting to be pulled away. Kevin left it clinging to her tanned flesh.

Curious, Jackie turned her head, not fully looking over her shoulder but indicating that she was waiting, shyly wondering if there was more to Kevin's gesture than simple gallantry. She got an answer to her silent question when Kevin reached around with both hands, at first softly stroking the skin on her stomach, the muscles of which were taut with anticipation. His hands swept upward, slipping underneath the fabric of her bathing suit. He cupped her breasts, and Jackie gave a sudden sigh, melting in his tender grip. She turned her head further, though she kept the rest of her body planted. She maintained that demure lack of eye contact, silently asking him to continue and giving him a delicate moan of approval when his hands squeezed her. He squeezed and kneaded, eliciting the softest of moans, until she reached up to free herself of the useless top.

He released one of her breasts, and reached up with that hand to push her chin. He tilted her head and positioned her face for a slow, open-mouth kiss that seemed to last for ages. That same hand felt its way back down her stomach, past the top of her bikini bottom to slip inside until he cupped her fully.

Jackie whimpered into his mouth, opening her mouth wider, deepening their already deep kiss. The hand between her legs pet soft curls, fingers nestling deep as he rubbed her. She was wet, and he felt her getting wetter when the tip of his middle finger found her entrance. Jackie broke the kiss and leaned her head back against his shoulder, panting.

"You're so fucking sexy." Kevin muttered, words muffled by the kissing, licking, sucking at her neck, in a tone that sent shivers and tingles all down that side of her body. Jackie whined, holding the back of his head for support for her jellified body, and also so he would never, ever stop. She'd been starved for intimacy and it had been too long since Kevin touched her that way, spontaneously, just to feel her. She could feel his hardness pressing against her ass. He was hungry for her, he wanted her whole body at once.

They stopped to free themselves of every remaining item of clothing. Then Jackie was laid on the bed, with Kevin beside her, and he resumed the firm but gentle stimulation between her legs. Jackie moaned quietly, hugged his neck, and kissed him. He made no attempt to penetrate her, just keeping her clit happy, teasing her small opening with his fingertips and allowing her to soak his fingers with her arousal.

"Do you want to make love to me?" Jackie whispered against his lips, always wanting to plan ahead.

"I already am." Kevin insisted. His tongue crept out of his mouth, barely tasting her lips, asking her tongue to come out and play.

A feverish feeling swept over her. It made his touch feel even better. It was romantic, what he said, but Jackie didn't want to be the only one. They kissed as she grabbed hold of him, and his kiss became unexpectedly harder when he felt her hand slide from tip to base and back again. He added pressure to his touch, like she'd taken it to the next level by reciprocating.

"Mmhh..." Kevin grunted. He could feel how it turned her on, in the gentle thrust of her hips toward his hard working hand. He knew he could make the thrusting more intense if he tried. Unconcerned with keeping her hand on his cock, Kevin shifted so he could take one of her nipples into his mouth. He slipped away from her hand, intensifying her pleasure until she lost herself to it completely.

"Kevin..." she whimpered, holding his head while he sucked at her. "I'm close..."

Her nipple slipped out of his mouth. He wanted to watch it all on her face.

"Mmnnn," she moaned. "Kevin..."

Her hips shook at a wild pace that he matched with his fingers, and she moaned in short bursts until the feeling spread into every inch of her. Kevin could see, in the way her brow furrowed from intense pleasure and the gentle spasms her body endured, it was a good one. When she was done she grabbed hold of him with renewed purpose. They kissed deeply, and Jackie made it clear that she wanted him inside of her. She wanted to know that he needed her and her alone in order to find release.

Jackie spread her legs apart and let Kevin fill her up. She clung to his incredible toned body and she felt that connection that went beyond the physical, the connection she'd been missing for so long. It was in the way he praised her and held her afterward. There was nowhere else he would rather be than with her in that moment, in their little bungalow, a vacation home away from home.

As the days went on, they saw less and less of the resort and more of their bedroom. The more time they spent together, the more they wanted. A wicked glance from Jackie was all the invitation Kevin needed, and they would make their way back to their bedroom to screw each other senseless.

"I knew this was going to be a great getaway," Kevin commented, out of breath after an exhausting display of love and lust. "But I never imagined _this_."

Jackie giggled, knowing exactly how he felt. She cuddled up close to him, ready to nap the rest of the afternoon away. In the back of her mind she knew they'd have to leave eventually, but it was turning out to be the best week she could remember from recent times. They were fucking like bunnies, like they did before they were married (even before Jackie's father knew that Kevin was seeing his daughter...)

On their last day, Jackie almost teared up, she was so sad to leave. She didn't want things to go back to the way they'd been, with both of them too stressed out and distant to comfort each other.

Kevin remained stoic as he carried their bags into the airport. They didn't have a choice, they had to return to Fort Marshall. Jackie tried to respect his need to keep his emotions in check when it came to work, but they weren't back to work yet.

"Promise me we won't drift apart again." Jackie asked quietly as they waited to board.

Kevin paid her the respect of actually thinking it through, looking at her very deeply and very seriously before he answered.

"I promise." he said.

And Jackie smiled, because a promise from Kevin was a guarantee.


	8. Your Old T-Shirt

_**A/N: ** I recently caught up with the end of season 6, and this was my reaction, taking place soon after the finale. Sweet, a little angsty, but still hot and fluffy - like all my best smutty scenes. 0:) This is for Team Kelli and Team Clarke all the way, especially SassyCop, because she guessed right. :)_

* * *

The house was very quiet. They were both supposed to be in bed. Kevin _was_ in bed. Once he got in, it was a bitch to get out again, so he stayed in until the morning. He had some feeling back in his legs. That thought alone helped him sleep at night. He couldn't wait for the day he had enough mobility to climb the stairs and share a proper bed with his wife again. These were the thoughts Kevin had at night, when he stared at the moonlit ceiling of his first floor office and used every ounce of patience he had in him to wait for things to get back to normal.

Jackie padded down the stairs softly in bare feet. As she rounded the end of the stair case she tucked her hair behind her ear. _Smile_, she told herself. It wasn't necessary that time, since her lips already showed nervous excitement. Kevin was making progress, and her heart felt lighter because of it. She also felt better after giving Kevin a piece of her mind regarding his recent behavior. Walking on eggshells hadn't cut it, and even if it took reaching a breaking point for her to yell at him the way that she did, the reality check worked. He'd even apologized, in his way. He was going to be rewarded for his new attitude, if he was willing to take what Jackie offered to him.

Jackie peeked around the corner of the office door. She could see her husband's eyes were open. He was on his back, arms folded behind his head, no blanket on his body. Just a t-shirt and boxers. It was a warm night.

He was deep in thought. She hoped she could erase the furrow in his brow, if only for one night.

Kevin noticed movement in the doorway to his office, a shadow interrupting the shaft of light from the hallway. He turned his head. There was Jackie, standing there in just an oversized Army-issue t-shirt. Her bare legs practically glowed in the moonlight, he could see them even though she was silhouetted. The t-shirt came down to mid-thigh, and she stood, hesitating, in the doorway, one hand on the jamb as she shifted her weight to one leg.

"Jackie?" he said, his voice clear in the quiet of the house at night.

"Can I come in?" she asked. The way she said it really drove home how territorial he had been as of late, far more than usual.

"Of course." said Kevin. His tone was softer at night, when his guard was down. "What's wrong?" he asked her.  
"Nothing's wrong." Jackie assured him. The furrow in his brow had intensified. She walked over to him and he looked at the t-shirt again, memories returning and ideas clicking into place. His eyes softened, and suddenly he looked amused instead of worried.

"Is that what I think it is?" he asked, reaching out as she came close enough to touch. He'd had many of them over the years, but this one was special. He checked for the small tear in the fabric. It would rest just at her hip the way his old t-shirt fit her...

"Do you remember?" Jackie asked, a smile forming.

"How could I forget?"

Jackie looked into Kevin's eyes. He remembered the first time she'd appeared in nothing but this t-shirt. It made him forget, if only for a moment, everything that had happened in the past few months.

But then he remembered that too. His large hand squeezed her hip, and his eyes had an apology in them. She knew why he felt sorry - for getting injured in the first place, and ruining what should have been his perfect career - and their perfect lives. He also felt like half a man, less even. Like no man at all. She was hoping she could change that.

Jackie leaned against the bed, reaching out to put a hand on his waist. She hesitated for a moment, and then leaned down to kiss his lips. To her delight, Kevin did not stop her or ask what she was doing, as he'd done so many times since coming back to Fort Marshall. He seemed ready to accept the kiss, and he kissed her back. She felt the love in his kiss, and when she deepened it she felt passion too. He hid that passion deep inside, but it was always there, waiting for a private moment like this to show itself.

She was hovering awkwardly over him, careful not to put too much of her weight on him. She reminded herself that he wasn't fragile, and that was what she needed to prove to him. That she still saw him as the man that he was, not one he used to be. Slowly, she lifted one knee and climbed onto the bed. She straddled Kevin, never breaking her sweet kiss. The t-shirt rode up as he grabbed both sides of her waist. As much as he could, Kevin pulled his head back, breaking the kiss.

"Jackie..." he said regretfully, preparing her for disappointment.

"I want to try something." she whispered. She kissed him again, and then looked into his eyes. She wasn't asking for permission. She was letting him know, as his bossy wife who could always get her own way if she tried hard enough, that she was going to try something and he was going to allow it.

"I don't know if..." Kevin trailed off. "It might not -"

"You can still touch me." Jackie reminded him, so sweet and hopeful it made his hidden heart ache. He could see it in her eyes. All she wanted was for him to be happy again, and to show her some glimmer of decency, any proof at all that he loved and appreciated her. That he wanted her around.

"I've been neglecting you." he said, the worry returning to the furrow in his brow.

Jackie didn't want to hear any more of that. She'd come down here to make him forget their rough patch, to remind him he was still a man and she was still his wife, no matter what. She kissed him, forcing him to shut up and kiss her back. One of the hands at her waist slid up under the t-shirt to stroke her lower back, before dipping down below the waistband of her underwear. They kissed deeply, and Jackie moaned very softly when she felt his tongue on her own. She moaned again when his hands squeezed her ass. It wasn't just her heart that ached for him.

Still moving slowly, Jackie sat up, resting squarely on his pelvis. His hand slipped out of her underwear when she moved, coming to rest on her hip. Kevin gazed up at Jackie's face. She took his other hand, raised it to her lips and kissed his fingertips. Then his palm. Then his wrist. Feather soft kisses, then harder. And then her lips parted. Starting at the base of his index finger, she licked a delicate line up to the tip before taking his entire finger smoothly into her mouth. With eyes closed, she sucked on his finger very softly. For a blissful moment it didn't matter what he could feel below his waist. He could feel Jackie's lips and tongue wrapped around his finger. He could hear her soft little moans as she began to move her hips in soft circles.

Kevin tried to remember how to breathe.

Jackie relaxed her jaw and let his finger slip out of her mouth. She held on to his hand, pressing it against her breast, making him squeeze it. He took the hint right away, and began to knead her breast without her help. Still, she left her own hand where it was so she could follow the movement.

A soft, involuntary moan issued from his throat. Something about the way the fabric of the t-shirt - so soft, just like her - draped over her curves, the fact that she'd worn it just to turn him on, it drove him crazy.

Jackie knew she was doing something right. She opened her eyes, watching his face now. She wasn't sure when she'd begun to move her hips, only that it felt damn good. She intensified the movement, and as she gazed into her husband's eyes, she felt him harden. Her heart beat faster, and she squeezed the hand that was kneading her breast.

"Do you feel that?" she whispered, ever hopeful.

Kevin's look of concentration also intensified. He felt _something_. It was a strange sensation, different from what he was used to but definitely not unpleasant. He blinked a few times, and gripped her hip tighter with both hands.

"Just keep doing what you're doing." he said, the gruffness in his voice having nothing to do with discipline and everything to do with arousal. Jackie nodded, happy to continue. She pressed her pelvis harder against his, grinding against him, turning them both on until he had a full, hard erection. Both of his hands were now on her hips, and Jackie leaned forward to change the angle, rubbing forward and back against the entire length of him.

"Oh, god..." she moaned deeply. "There you are..."

The pleasure Kevin was deriving was mostly mental. The physical part was distant, and he could feel what Jackie was doing. But he could also tell how much she was enjoying it. His heart rate was up, too. He groaned, brow furrowing from an entirely physical effort. He was helping to move her hips with his hands, like he could feel more than he realized.

Suddenly he felt Jackie moving off of his lap, crawling down to the end of the bed. He watched her kneel beside him and open his boxers so she could reach inside. She bowed her head quickly, gripping him with one hand to keep him in place as she took him into her mouth. Kevin looked up at the ceiling, staring intensely at the patterns in the textured paint. His heart was racing, and his breath came hard. He listened to the soft, wet sucking sounds and to Jackie's excited little moans. He loved those sounds, but it just didn't feel quite right. It was closer to a three when it should have been a ten. Somehow it just felt better with Jackie riding him, when he knew she could feel it too.

"Jackie, stop." Kevin said gently, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She sat up, wiping the corners of her mouth and questioning him with a look. "Get back on top of me." he half asked, half ordered.

Jackie obeyed, straddling him carefully and grinding her hips hard against him. Kevin gripped her waist. His left leg twitched, just once and subtly, as if it wanted to wake the rest of his bottom half up for this crucial event. Jackie slipped her t-shirt up over her head, and arched her back when Kevin's hands slid up over her stomach and squeezed both of her breasts.

"God, Jackie..." Kevin groaned. She was beautiful, even more so when she was on top of him, grinding against him to keep him hard. He closed his eyes briefly, his hands closing tightly around her breasts. She called out softly. Unable to wait, not willing to risk losing what they had, Kevin released her breasts and reached down to grip her underwear. He ripped them open on one side. It made Jackie gasp. Then he was touching her, making sure she was ready. Jackie whimpered, wishing she could slow down for just a second and enjoy the feeling of being this close to him again. But if he was ripping her panties off of her, it meant he was in a hurry, and if she did anything to ruin this moment she would never forgive herself.

Jackie raised her pelvis so she could reach down and help guide him into her body. He definitely felt _that_, not as intensely as he would have liked, but still better than he'd hoped. Kevin let out a relieved, moaning sigh as he nestled into his little pocket of heaven. Jackie moaned and began to rock against him. He let her set the pace, concentrating so hard on what he was or wasn't feeling he couldn't do anything else but lie there with his hands on her hips. It was better, so much better, than nothing. It took some work - and bless his wife, she was putting in all the effort and then some - but it eventually became clear that this would end very well. By that time Kevin had a tight hold on her hips, moving her back and forth, showing her exactly how he needed her to move.

"Just like that," he told her. "Just like that, Jackie..."

Her body ached from exertion but it ached from pleasure as well. Now that Kevin was doing some of the work with her hips, Jackie was able to touch herself. She moaned and cried out, feeling her own pleasure building while his became more intense. It wasn't necessary; she would have been perfectly content to let him finish - to _make _him finish - without reaching her own climax. Being intimate with her husband at such a vulnerable time for both of them turned her on more than she'd expected. In turn, Kevin was deeply affected by her obvious enjoyment. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and her muscles tensed. She whispered his name between her soft moans and whimpers as if trying to warn him, too late and unable to form the words. Her moans became rhythmic as the bright feeling overwhelmed every nerve in her body. Suddenly he was doing all the work with his hands and arms. She liked it anyway, sometimes, when he was in control. Just a little more, just like that -

Jackie gasped when she felt it. She opened her eyes and grabbed hold of his wrists. His fingers were digging into his flesh. She thought for a moment she imagined the slight buck of his hips - maybe it was just his hands pulling her tighter against him. There was slight confusion in his features, a wish for more of that familiar feeling, but it was overshadowed by great relief. All that mattered was that it happened, and it happened with Jackie.

It took him some time to recover. He laid there with his eyes closed, breathing hard. Slowly his hands relaxed, as Jackie stroked his wrists and forearms, bringing him back to reality. When it felt right, Jackie dismounted and laid down beside him, the ache in her legs much worse now that they were finally changing position. Like everything else, it was a good ache. The sign of a job well done.

Perhaps the best part of all was the way Kevin readily embraced her as she snuggled up next to him. She draped one leg over him, slipped a hand under his t-shirt and nuzzled his neck. She felt vulnerable, but she also felt strong and powerful. He never would have asked for this, not this way. And it had been amazing.

He held her close, and she could feel his heart still beating fast. Hers was too. It made her smile, the way their hearts were retelling the story of what had just happened. She felt like she was glowing from the inside.

"Don't ever let anyone say you don't know how to get a job done." Kevin murmured, breaking the silence minutes later. A giddy Jackie buried her face in his neck and giggled. She was certainly proud of herself. Lifting herself up on one elbow, she gazed down at him.

"Can I stay here tonight?" she asked. And damned if it didn't bring him right back to the first time he saw her in that Army t-shirt, the one that was currently lying in a heap on his office floor. They were older now, Jackie no less beautiful, and his answer was still the same.

"You're not going anywhere." he said. Pleased, almost smug, Jackie smiled and laid back down beside him. "Just don't lay on top of my legs." he added. "I don't want them to fall asleep and make me think I've lost what little feeling I've got back."

Jackie laughed deeply, silently, squeezing him tight. Humor was also a very good sign. Not as good as that other thing, but important nonetheless.

"Are you even cleared for this sort of activity, soldier?" Jackie asked.

"As long as there's someone there to spot me." Kevin replied, deadpan.

Jackie chuckled. "Good thing I'm here to volunteer, then."


End file.
